Life thrived on Earth far earlier than previously believed, flourishing under the harsh reign of the Hadean eon. LUCA—the last universal common ancestor—was even designed to fend off ancient viruses.

Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago, during the geological eon known as the Hadean. The name “Hadean” comes from the Greek god of the underworld, reflecting the extreme heat that likely ...

New ANU research is set to radically overturn the conventional wisdom that early Earth was a hellish planet barren of continents. An international research team led by Professor Mark Harrison of the ...

(Reuters) -Along the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in Canada's northeastern province of Quebec, near the Inuit municipality of Inukjuak, resides a belt of volcanic rock that displays a blend of dark and ...

The Nature Index 2025 Research Leaders — previously known as Annual Tables — reveal the leading institutions and countries/territories in the natural and health sciences, according to their output in ...

In northern Quebec, an exceptional geological formation spans across time. Researchers have just confirmed that these stones, aged 4.16 billion years, are the oldest ever identified on our planet.

Rocks older than 4.03 billion years could shed light on Earth's earliest geological history, but they're incredibly rare. Reading time 2 minutes Due to the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates, our ...

Earth’s earliest crust, formed over 4.5 billion years ago, has long been thought to have lacked the complex chemical features associated with continental crust. However, a recent study published in ...

An artistic reconstruction of Earth during the Hadean eon (~4.5 billion years ago). Intense volcanic activity, heat from accretion, and frequent impacts kept the young Earth in a molten state. This ...

Intro -- Preface -- References -- Contents -- 1 Why Hadean? -- Abstract -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Organization of This Book -- 1.2.1 A Brief Overview -- 1.2.2 Chapter Themes -- 1.3 Defining the ...